So where did I?put that list?

June 2, 2012

I find myself writing down titles of books I want to read, names of authors I want to check out, titles of movies I want to see or musicians I want to hear more of. When it comes to musicians, I'm usually hearing a snippet on my satellite radio thinking, "Hey, this is kind of cool" and then scrambling to locate a pen and a piece of scratch paper before the next song starts. I'm writing down titles on the backs of envelopes, receipts when I'm in a bookstore or I'm typing on my cellphone.

The only problem is I have these envelopes and receipts and the like scattered around the apartment or the Jeep. I've made a couple of valiant efforts to get these titles, authors, into into one spot, but I tend to handwrite these things into a notebook and I've misplaced said notebook.

But I'm getting better.

I use this list to then look up books, movies, CDs on the statewide library system, Oh how I love to save money when it comes to books (now if I can only resist the temptation of Goodwill and Half Price Books).

Earlier this week, I went through three editions of BookPage, which is available for free at the library. It shows what's new in books, reviews and interviews with authors. I scanned for any book that would catch my eye. By the time I was done, I had written down 22 authors. Of that list, I had read another book by one of the authors, Thrity Umrigar. My book club had read "The Space Between Us." It's a very rich, well-written novel about the relationship between two Indian women - an upper-middle class housewife and her servant. I keep meaning to read other books by her and she has a new one out - "The World We Found" (I say that about a lot of new authors I've been discovering - too many books, too little time). If only I had a job that involved just reading books.

Another author on that list is Loretta Lynn. I read "Coal Miner's Daughter" years ago. Lately she was in the news because of the recent kerfuffle on her actual age. Her latest is "Honkytonk Girl: My Life in Lyrics," which is a songbook essentially, but she tells the stories about the inspiration for several of the songs like "Coal Miner's Daughter" and "I'm a Honkytonk Girl."

Right now I'm in the middle of a book I'm reading for book club - "Sister" by Rosamund Lupton. It's about a woman named Bee (short for Beatrice), who is summoned back home to London because her younger sister Tess is missing. Tess is found dead, apparently of suicide, but Bee isn't so sure and thinks her sister has been murdered. So Bee takes matters into her own hands to find out what really happened to her sister.

It's intriguing so far. As for July and August, members of my book club have decided to basically talk about a book we happen to be reading that month or whatever book captures our interest. Hmmwhich one should I bring to the table? I have enough in paperback and electronically. Many an option, and I'll try and not make it a romance novel.